Own Your Fertility: All About Egg Freezing + Trellis Health

“OMG I can’t WAIT for my appointment at the gynecologist!” Said almost no woman of any age ever…

Lets face it, unless we are heading to the gynecologist/OBGYN to hear good news, (new pregnancy, STD free, etc.) not many enjoy the experiences they have at this particular doctor's office. Not only do we have to disrobe and change into some horrific hospital gown that smells like stale antiseptic, we have to uncover our most sacred body part to be poked and prodded by some stranger with cold hands. If that’s not enough,there are some offices that try to make the experience “more enjoyable” by placing comics on the ceiling above our stirrups or lightening the mood with awkward jokes and one-liners. Tragic, right?

Once we’re in, an uncomfortable game of rapid fire begins when we are asked about our sexual activity and if there's any family history of disease, and we are almost immediately discussing the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Now preventing pregnancy at a young age makes sense to most, however, out of all of the appointments I have had, I have never once discussed my fertility or the possibilities of a future family. With birth control options thrown in your face not only by your doctor but your parents, television, and even targeted advertisements, fertility is the last thing on your mind though in reality it shouldn’t be.

There’s a negative connotation that surrounds the idea of a woman wanting to find out how fertile you may be. The other day I told a couple people that I, a woman in her early 20s, was going to get my fertility tested and they all gasped and asked if I was trying to get pregnant. I’m not sure how this stigma came about, but it’s confusing that so many people automatically jump to the conclusion that fertility testing equals wanting to get pregnant immediately, when this isn’t the case for all women.

There are women who go to great lengths to avoid pregnancies i.e. taking birth control pills, getting an IUD, using the morning after pill, getting abortions; which are all great options for women to choose from because we all have choices when you are at a stage in your life and may not yet be ready to have children. At the same time, doing these preventative methods doesn’t necessarily mean you NEVER want to bear a child so what exactly are your options? That’s where fertility testing and egg freezing come into play.

Let’s Talk Stats

Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have and it is impossible to produce more. Women are born with around 1 million eggs and lose about half of these eggs by puberty. After that, we tend to lose about 1000 more eggs each month post-puberty. So by the time we are 35, the likelihood of having viable eggs for a successful pregnancy drops significantly. This is slightly unnerving as the average age for having a child is gradually increasing.

Egg quality is also diminished over time as women are exposed to the inevitable forces of everyday life. So not only do we risk not having enough eggs to produce a successful pregnancy, but also the likelihood of having a genetically abnormal pregnancy rises. Including miscarriage, stillbirths, or disorders like down syndrome and autism.

OK… So What Do We Do Now?

Women have the right to wait as long as they want to have children which means they may possibly be in their mid to late 30s when they begin to try to conceive. At this point, their likelihood of getting pregnant is much lower than 5-10 years prior which is why women are now turning to infertility IVF clinics, spending thousands and thousands of dollars on something that isn’t guaranteed to work.

What if you had the opportunity to wait until your ready to have children? What if you didn’t have to worry about if you are going to be able to get pregnant later on or having damaged eggs when you become ready? Well, now there is a way to do so.

Egg Freezing

If you want to preserve your opportunity for future biological childbirth or if you suffer from issues like PCOS, endometriosis, or fibroids, that affect your fertility, freezing your eggs is an amazing opportunity. This is the process in which a woman’s eggs or oocytes are extracted, frozen, and stored to preserve reproductive potential; also known as mature oocyte cryopreservation.

Egg freezing began as early as 1960 and was named “non-experimental” in 2012 by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Now over 20,000 woman have undergone egg freezing since then. How awesome!

Now all of that may sound quite overwhelming however, what if I told you there was a fertility space that has changed the game? And I say space, because this studio/spa feels far from your usual clinic.

On the 9th floor of 18th street in the Flatiron District in New York City, you hop off the elevator and are drawn to the clean white door gleaming with the rose gold sign, “Trellis.” You open the doors feeling as if you stepped into an entirely new world. With natural light flooding the instagram worthy studio, you are instantly relaxed and impressed. Having fresh pressed juices as their centerpieces and iPhone chargers on hand, you are captivated by their modern, eclectic vibe and instantly want to be a part of the Trellis family.

Upon entering, you are greeted by a bubbly receptionist and immediately feel at ease as your nerves simply vanish. You get checked in, your name gets called almost instantly, and you are already matched with your very own fertility coach guiding you throughout this incredible process.

The unique curvature of their patient rooms pose as a metaphor for “No woman’s path to motherhood is linear,” creating a feeling of individuality rather than normality. The futuristic interior of each patient room paired with a sky light flooding the room with natural energy, you are comfortable and intrigued all in one.

Trellis knows how busy us girls can be, so they’ve created an easy access blood draw/medication room where you can pop in and out on your own time. Oh, and you can ditch that stale hospital gown for your own personal silky Trellis robe for all future visits.

Trellis is an incredible fertility studio built around the most empowering and intelligent female staff that ensures the support you need during this time in your life. They preach wellness as an integral of fertile health and use cutting-edge technology plus instinct to create a process tailored specifically for you and your future family. Another incredible tidbit that sets Trellis apart from other medical offices is that women, no matter their fertility journey, never need to feel alone as all of the women on the Trellis staff have gone through different issues with their own fertility.

Give it a Go!

When or if you are in the New York area, it is definitely worth the quick trip to Trellis to explore the studio as well as your fertility. You don’t HAVE to make a decision that day, and with their informative approach, you feel more than comfortable to find the journey right for you.

If it is time or money you are worried about, Trellis ensures the entire process from fertility testing to extraction and recovery is about a month long, and they offer a few different financing options. Big businesses such as Google, Apple, Amazon, etc. are beginning to offer fertility benefits for their employees, which is very exciting as the demand for these processes are increasing. This means that insurance companies may be able to cover or assist in the process of egg freezing!

Celebrate yourself and celebrate life with the help of a vibrant sisterhood created at Trellis Health. Become educated on your own wellness and discover the wonderful options that egg-freezing may bring to you. Partner with award winning fertility doctors and feel comfortable and even a little trendy during each visit to the Trellis wellness studio.